Process of mercerizing.



Patented Oct. 22, I901.

w. n'. ASHWORTH.

PROCESS OF MERCERIZING.

(Application filed m 9. 1901.]

(No Model.)

m EZ M mzfluams vrrzns co., PHOYO-LITHQ, WASHINGTON, n. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM D. ASHWORTH, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE PHILADELPHIA TEXTILE MACHINERY COMPANY, OF PHILADEL- PHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

PROCESS OF MERCERIZING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 685,085, dated October 22, 1901. Application filed May 9, 1901. Serial No. 59,396. pecimens.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that LWILLIAM D. ASHWORTH, a citizen of the United States, residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented 5 an Improved Process of Mercerizing, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in the process of mercerizing articles or material made from cotton or other vege- IO table fibers, having for its object the production of a more brilliant luster than has hitherto been obtainable by the various methods at present in use, a further object being to prevent shrinkage of the material under I 5 treatment. These objects I attain as hereinafter set forth, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of one form of apparatus in which my improved process can be carried out, a number of the yarn-carriers being removed for the sake of clearness; and Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view of the same, taken on the line 2 2,

Fig. 1.

When cotton yarn in skeins or in hanks, for example, is immersed in a vessel of canstic alkali, it immediately tends to shrink, this being overcome by keeping the material in a stretched or tense condition. For this purpose special devices are used and the substance is held to its original dimensions till the tendency to contract has ceased. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that while in this tense or stretched condition the 5 material under treatment resists the penetrative action of the alkaline bath to an extent proportional to the amount of tension to which it is subjected. In order, therefore, to insure thorough action of the bath by which the desired lustrous appearance is attained much time is required, for, unlike its action when in aloose condition, the yarn does not readily absorb the said alk'ali.

In carrying out my improved process,which has been found to overcome the difficulties above noted, as well as to reduce the time of treatment, I preferably employ a closed ves sel A, provided with an easily-reu1ovable but air-tight cover A, through which passes a shaft B. This shaft is supported in a hearing or within the vessel and passes through a stuffing-box a on the cover A. A drivingpulley b is fixed to the upper end of the shaft, upon which are mounted two disks b and b within the casing A, which disks are free to turn upon the shaft. The upper disk b is threaded upon the shaft and is adapted to be revolved by means of two vertical bars b which extend between the lower disk and a piece 12 immovably fixed to the shaft, and the upper disk is free to slide vertically upon said bars. A series of carriers 0 and c are placed around the peripheries of the disks 1) and b respectively, and between these the yarn or other material C is hung. Star-wheels c are fixed to the pins or shafts c of the lower series of carriers 0', and there is a sta= tionary tappet c suitably placed to engage the teeth of these wheels as the shaft Bis revolved, thereby rotating the carriers, as the corresponding star-wheel of each carrier engages the tappet while the shaft B is rotating. An air-pump D of any desired construction is placed in communication with the interior of the casing A by means of the pipe d.

In operating my process the casing A is partly filled with mercerizing liquid, into which the shaft B, with its attached disks and carriers, is introduced, the yarn, &c., having been previously stretched to dimensions somewhat greater than normal by turning the shaft before the piece 12 is fixed in place. After the vessel has been made air-tight by screwing down the cover the pressure within the vessel is raised, by means of the pump D, to a point which is determined by experience to be most advantageous, such increase of pressure being sufficient to force the alkaline solution thoroughly and evenly through the fiber, the whole operation occupying but lit tle time. In order to further increase the luster of the material treated, it is moved at a high rate'of speed through the liquid with in the mercerizing vessel while the same is still under pressure through the medium of the tappet a engaging the star-wheels 0 thereby causing the carrier to rotate, and thus causing the yarn to move through the bath, the speed of such movement being controlled by the rate of the revolution of the shaft B, and the rapid motion thus imparted to the yarn through the bath insures its uniform exposure to the mercerizing liquid. The

Washing and subsequent treatment of the fiber are preferably accomplished outside of the Vessel in which the pressure is applied, although it will be understood that I may, if desired, perform these operations in the same vessel.

By means of my process shrinkage of the material treated is prevented and an even, thorough, and quick penetration of the same by the alkaline solution is secured.

I claim as my invention 1. The herein-described process of merccrizing, said process consisting in maintaining the fiber in a condition of tension while it is immersed in a bath of mercerizing liquid maintained under fluidpressure, substantially as described.

2. The herein-described process of treating fabrics, said process consisting in maintaining the fiber in a condition of tension While it is immersed in a bath of mercerizing liquid maintained under fluid-pressure, and moving said fiber through said bath, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

WILLIAM D. ASHIVOR'FII. Nitnesses:

WILLIAM E. BRADLEY, Jos. II. KLEIN. 

